Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Happy Transgender Day of Visibility, today March 31st is the groundbreaking and first time this holiday is being celebrated. Unlike Transgender Day of Remembrance, where we mourn those we lost to hate crimes based on gender identity/expression, today is a day to focus on the living and the positive aspects of the trans community and to promote education, awareness and visibility of this segment of the population.

Events are being held throughout the world, including presentations, films, and people attending school in drag, as well as groups meeting to discuss trans politics, safety, and the commitment to futher recognition of trans people.

5 comments:

This is great!And hey, I know this isn't self promotion Sunday, if there are any folks wanting to take some social action on the university level please check-out my most recent post on the blog linked to my name above.Thanks!

Hi! This comment isn't about this post in particular,I only want to ask something. My question is based merely on intellectual curiosity. I'm heterossexual and have both gay,bissexual and hetero friends who I totally respect. I think they deserve the same choices like everyone else does,such as getting married and adopting kids - I'm from Portugal,none of those can (yet) be done here. But I wonder if it's necessary to engage in carnivals and parades bragging about gay pride and so on. Since it's not an option - and I consider it as natural as being hetero - why so much fuss? Aren't such manifestatons contributing to linking LGTB's to stereotypes? I'm not trying to prove any point,this really is a doubt of mine and I thought you could give some inside opinions. Thank you.

M thanks for the question. The parades are not done in order to prove that being gay/trans is biological. The science suggests it is, but the parades are for a different purpose. We gather to march because society has for so long told us we are less than, not equal and weird. It is a time to be proud of our uniqueness and to be together, it is empowering. It isn't about bragging, it is about saying this is who we are, we are united, we have every right to be who we are and we demand equal rights.

I agree with what Queer United said. Some people still tend to live in the olden days. And some are just naturally prejudiced. Even in 2010, there's still lots of people who hate. Parades like this, I think, help out a lot of people who fall under that hate and prejudice by knowing that not only are they not alone, but they're appreciated and loved and respected all the same.